Fire drill has left me in a lot of pain.

dickydonkin

I hadn't thought about it until that point, as my previous company had actually spent a lot of money fire proofing the lifts - and had separate motors in different rooms - so if one went, the other would still work, and even if they got trapped were able to withstand the heat for six hours - allowing for a rescue.

I have seen some articles on these - and I am not convinced.

A 'fireproofed lift' wouldn't be of much use if the there is a total collapse of the building would it?

What about smoke? So if the lift was sealed and the lift was full during an escape, the oxygen would deplete very quickly.

How do you know if the door is opening into a safe area?

Heat will melt steel girders - so lift cables would easily succumb.

I can go on - Do not use a lift in the event of a fire - NEVER!

jazabelle

dickydonkin wrote: »

I have seen some articles on these - and I am not convinced.

A 'fireproofed lift' wouldn't be of much use if the there is a total collapse of the building would it?

What about smoke? So if the lift was sealed and the lift was full during an escape, the oxygen would deplete very quickly.

How do you know if the door is opening into a safe area?

Heat will melt steel girders - so lift cables would easily succumb.

I can go on - Do not use a lift in the event of a fire - NEVER!

I understand what you are saying, but it did work in this building. It was a series of buildings linked together, so if there was a fire in one building, you could walk along to the next building, through a variety of routes, so it would have been easy to keep walking (if you can) until you got to a part where there was no fire. They also explained how oxygen would work, I'm afraid I can't remember - but they were saying air would reach you for six hours as well.

I do realise this isn't a normal thing, and usually it's not a good idea to use a lift.

However, sometimes using the stairs when you find it physically hard to or waiting for someone to get you can take a long time, so using the quickest route to get out could also just as easily save your life.

skintandscared_2

dori2o wrote: »

I don't believe this to be true. Considering it took me almost 40 minutes to get down the stairs, I was in a lot of pain, breathless and quite dizzy. The drill was over and people were returning to the building just as I arrived at the assembly point.

I made it clear to the employer when the email was sent that I thought this was a bad idea but was told I had no choice. I assumed they knew what they were doing. They are after all a government department.

There is a goods lift in one of the stairwells that I have asked about using before when I set up my Evacuation Plan, but I was told in no uncertain circumstances was I allowed to use it.

You are never allowed to use a lift in the case of a fire. It's not just about the lift car, but fire affecting the mechanics of the lift too. They are set to automatically shut down when the alarm sounds.

I find all this completely unbelievable to be honest. Their being a "government department" doesn't mean they will know what they are doing as regards what your body is capable of! Only you know that! I'm sorry but I wouldn't have told them it's a "bad idea", I would have said it's a physical impossibility and forget it! What would they do if the employee was actually paralysed? Make them slide down the bannisters once a year for a "proper" drill??!! (Which, incidentally, it wasn't - because they clearly weren't even waiting for you or aware that you were coming down the stairs, if they were all making their way back when you finally got out!!!)

In a real fire, someone will come up the stairs to get you. There will, therefore, NEVER be a situation in which you will have to walk down 19 flights of stairs. So why should you have to do it for a drill? (and I don't care if they "say so" ... you say "I'm not physically capable of doing it"!) What's the worst that could happen if you hadn't done it? They can't sack you for not being able to walk down 19 flights of stairs for a fire practice! (which, incidentally, you have now just proved you CAN do, albeit that you might now be in agony for weeks because of it. Why?!)

dickydonkin

jazabelle wrote: »

I understand what you are saying, but it did work in this building. It was a series of buildings linked together, so if there was a fire in one building, you could walk along to the next building, through a variety of routes, so it would have been easy to keep walking (if you can) until you got to a part where there was no fire. They also explained how oxygen would work, I'm afraid I can't remember - but they were saying air would reach you for six hours as well.

I do realise this isn't a normal thing, and usually it's not a good idea to use a lift.

However, sometimes using the stairs when you find it physically hard to or waiting for someone to get you can take a long time, so using the quickest route to get out could also just as easily save your life.

I'm not convinced by the fireproof lift claims - a supply of oxygen is fine, but would be of very little use if the structure of the building has failed and results in the lift shaft collapsing and hundreds of tons of steel and rubble landing on the people still enclosed in the lift.

In large premises, when an alarm is activated by either heat or smoke, those who are not in the vicinity of the fire would have no idea as to where the source of the fire is located, so the above method is flawed.

That is why you must try to leave the building by the nearest exit. Looking for the nearest lift is not the way to go as you may be walking towards the fire - and never will be in my opinion.

Just get out of the building by the nearest exit.

bluebird

Something very similar has happened to me, i am disabled, i went to my dental check up just as i was in the chair the fire alarm sounded, everyone vanished except my dentist He stayed with me then got a telling off for staying in the building with me, apparently his boss said he should have carried me downstairs, yeah right!! as if i would allow that,my dentist left the job that week,dismissed? i don't know no-one will tell me.
I am now unsure what to do if this ever happens again, i cannot walk down the stairs, apparently i'm not to use the lift,with the thought of everyone vanishing it scares me to think they would leave me to burn.No-one wants to answer my questions at the dentist,what do i do?

Humphrey10

bluebird wrote: »

what do i do?

You wait for the fire service to evacuate you if you can't get down the stairs.

Evilm

Bluebird : They won't tell you why the dentist left - whether he resigned due to your incident, left for other reasons or was fired is private and they are not allowed to disclose it even if they want to.

Most buildings have a visitor policy for the disabled and most actually have emergency evacuation chairs even if they don't have anyone working for them who needs to use them.

I would actually formally write to them asking them to explain why they didn't have a suitable policy for visitors - and "just carry them" isn't viable - what if he'd done his back in or you weighed more than he could carry!

If they don't reply I'd then contact the PCT - I think they have 'control' over dentists as well?

Especially at a dentist - some people will be in the middle of a procedure and could have had an injection and be woozy!

Should there be a lack of preparation for an event due to unforeseen circumstances then yes, waiting for the fire service is the answer. However having a patient on the premises who can't walk down due to either disability or current state of awareness shouldn't be unforeseen! I'm even wondering if it would be considered a breach of Disabled Access legislation?

dori2o

Well I've been to work and the Union is not happy at all. Apparently I am not the only one to have suffered problems with the drill and as a result the H&S rep and the Fire Warden on my floor are demanding a review of the proceedures.

My team leader, who was not around at the time of the drill yesterday, is another one who is not very happy.

We have worked together recently to work out a range of adjustments to my working area, my hours of work and leave arrangements to try and help me improve my attendance which is quite frankly awful. He has put a note in my file signed by him, that advises I will not, under any circumstance, be evacuating the building again in the event of a fire drill. I have said I am not willing to do it anymore.

The Safety officer wasn't too happy when I told them, and said she will speak to her manager as she believes if I didn't evacuate it could be classed as a Conduct and Discipline issue. However I have the full backing of my team, leader and his manager.

I have been told that any absence I would need due to the increased pain/mobility problems would not be treated as sickness absence as this is as a direct result of their insistence that I evacuate. Hopefully it won't come to that. I struggled in today as I only had a 4hr day to do and hopefully the pain and stiffness will ease over the weekend.

Today I am very sore. I can't put any weight on either leg properly and no matter what I do I am in severe pain and cannot sit or lie still due to the pain.

The good news is that this incident will hopefully now lead to a complete change in the procedures involved with those who have difficulty using fire escapes and their need to evacuate when it is only a drill.

Evilm

Since you have a formal note in your record that you do not have to evacuate in a drill then that will stop any disciplinary against you.

However just in case your manager suddenly leaves and that note 'disappears' I'd get a written verification addressed to you with the above in it. I hope you never need it but its better to be safe!

Hope you get well quickly!

Yorkie1

I'd also get your additional pain etc recorded in the accident book - it happened at work and as a result of work's decisions.

They can't lose that record as it's a legal obligation to retain it, I believe.